Education Specification for Fitzroy High School

The Department of Education & Training (DET) require a document called the Education Specification be created before Master planning (i.e. laying out of the building works) can be started.

The Education Specification has been developed to oversee the creation of the school. There is no reason all of it, or parts of it, can not be altered by the future school council to better reflect the requirements and desires of the actual school body.

The final Education Specification is below:

VISION STATEMENT

The vision is for the school is to ensure that students become lifelong learners, reflective and creative thinkers, and responsible and active citizens in the context of an inspirational learning environment that:

• celebrates diversity and embraces and individual differences including culture, race, gender and ethnicity.
• adopts an approach that values all children equally.
• strives for personal improvements/excellence/achievement in all endeavors including intellectual, social, emotional and physical development.
• adopts an educational approach based on educationally rich real-world tasks and authentic learning.
• encourages and enhances teachers as inspirational educators who mirror the school vision in their own approach.
• promotes open, collaborative and democratic decision making with the involvement of students, parents, staff and the local community.
• develops active and mutually enhancing partnerships with the other education providers and the local community.
• Promotes active use of the school site by the local community.

MANDATE

The school has a specific mandate to explore and develop:

• educational innovation with a particular emphasis upon the Middle Years.
• a teacher education program and facility.
• alternative and innovative educational provision through partnerships with the local community, educational providers and other agencies.

SCHOOL PROFILE- Student population, School locality

* See Attached School Community Profile

• The school population will be drawn from the Inner Northern suburbs of Melbourne.
• There is a strong tradition of involvement in community, environmental and social areas.
• The school community (according to surveys from the review) has high expectations for the school and seeks an integration of academic achievement with concerns for community and social development.
• The school site is located in an attractive inner city area with a strong heritage overlay.
• It is close to the City and the range of cultural and other educational institutions such as: the Melbourne Museum, the Zoo, the University of Melbourne and smaller organisations such as Ceres.
• It is well serviced by public transport and easily accessible by bicycle and on foot.
• The site is also located close to the Merri Creek, the Yarra River, Edinburgh Gardens and a range of community and environmental organisations.
• It is in close proximity to a range of primary and secondary schools.
  

CURRICULUM

The school curriculum will be developed to directly reflect the values and directions identified in the College vision statement. The curriculum will also reflect the unique focus areas of the school:

A focus upon Middle Years innovation will be central to all elements of curriculum design including teaching, learning and assessment. This will include an emphasis upon creating opportunities for students to develop a depth of knowledge and understanding through connecting and applying their learning to real world experiences and through the exploration of extended, challenging trans-disciplinary studies.

• Specific curriculum approaches to be explored may include:
• extensive use of on-line and off-site learning
• authentic learning and assessment
• an emphasis upon environmental education
• community action and active citizenship
• Self-directed learning, student empowerment and leadership

A focus upon teacher education will be affected through the creation of a professional learning community (real time and virtual) encompassing tertiary institutions, a network of local schools, teachers and other agencies. The aim of this community will be the exploration of innovative pedagogies through the integration of theory and practice, including reflective and inquiry based practices and action research.

• A focus upon alternative and innovative educational provision will be fostered through the exploration of on or off-site partnerships with other services and agencies. This could include:
• Primary and secondary articulation and Later Year pathways, including VET provision in conjunction with a local network of schools and other agencies
• Environmental agencies such as CERES, CSIRO, EPA etc.
• Adult and community education providers
• Department of Education Learning & Teaching Innovations Division
• Shared community facilities such as the gymnasium or library

EDUCATIONAL ORGANISATION

Staff and student organisational structures will be configured around small trans-disciplinary teams responsible for a defined cohort of students. This may require:

• the creation of distinct 'home areas' with adjacent staff and support amenities
• flexible, non-specialist learning areas for each cohort
• less emphasis upon traditional specialist teaching spaces

The special nature of the curriculum will also require a highly flexible school program. This may need to include:

• a timetable based upon large blocks of time allocation
• team based programming, including teacher education component
• school and after hours programs
• on and off-site programming

Due to the unique nature of the site a site management arrangements may be established under the auspices of the school council

PHYSICAL ORGANISATION

Site access

• students: predominantly from Michael Street, also from Falconer Street.
• staff: predominantly from Falconer Street due to Admin area location.
• parents: formal entrance exists from Falconer Street with access to the gymnasium from Michael Street.

Special Features

The special features of the school program will require:

• specific team 'home rooms; and zones
• large flexible non-specialist learning areas with significant ICT capacity
• substantial and flexible ICT capacity throughout including intra and internet and specialist multimedia capabilities
• dedicated spaces for teacher education
• access provision for other site users or partners in designated or shared access areas

Transport services

• o Michael Street is a secondary road providing the predominant transport access.
• Falconer Street is essentially residential use only.
• Bus, train and tram services are extensive in the area.

Design possibilities

• The existing building offers reasonable opportunities for adaptation for further use.
• The main (original) building is the most defined in terms of fixed masonry walls and restrictive planning - although it's high volumes, good natural light and character are significant compensatory features.
• Energy efficiency: The buildings all have good orientation and potential for good natural light and cross ventilation.
• Design should give a high priority to environmentally sustainable principles

Sensitivity to its location in a residential area needs to be considered.
Onsite parking planning requirements will need to be considered.
Maintenance Audits -asbestos, fire: Part 5 is Audits currently available on buildings from DET.
Onsite secure undercover bike storage needs to be included.

Existing conditions

• All buildings are essentially sound with varying levels of vandalism evident.
• Blocks A & D are LTC Type and of limited long term value given their age and construction.
• The remainder of the buildings are appropriate for redevelopment.

Special attention to ICT provision and innovation in the long term needs to be considered
School Funded facilities eg. Existing projects.

• N/A - The gymnasium is subject to an external use arrangement.

School Ground use eg. Play areas, special activity areas

• The existing grounds are flat and typified by hard surfaces with perimeter plantings.
• The spread of buildings has created a variety of spaces with a central asphalt courtyard being the dominant open area.
• There is little soft landscaping existing. Open space should be maximised.
  

SITE INFLUENCES

Existing Buildings

• The large and high envelopes of the 2 main buildings tower over the 1 & 2 storey residential fabric of the area.
• The north and east boundaries are open to the streets whilst the west and north boundaries abut residences and laneways

Transport

• The corner position and proximity to public transport are significant benefits to school access

Weather Conditions

• Not significant in such a built-up area

LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS

See Attached School Community Profile
The school gymnasium is currently used by a community organisation for a basketball facility and weights room
Land use - Residential:

• Fitzroy North is bounded by Nicholson Street in the west and the Merri Creek in the north-east.
• Fitzroy North is a densely populated suburb in Melbourne's inner north.
• The suburb is residential in nature but contains significant commercial centres along Queens Parade and Nicholson Street.
• The area has a high proportion of one and two person households.

OTHER ISSUES

Fitzroy 7-10 School Specifications for an Innovative Teacher Education Program

A teacher education program would be built around the following principles:

Structure

school- university -student teacher (Associates) partnership negotiated to meet needs of all stakeholders